Post by Peter H. on Oct 26, 2008 22:50:47 GMT -5
Announcement from Ring of Honor:
Additional information and insight from Bill Behrens:
The ROH St. Louis show may be the only one we get. Otherwise Chicago will be a long trip. I haven't really known of any major problems ROH has had other than low PPV sales and cutting back on some wrestlers. Go Shiozaki has been the only real NOAH talent they have used this year, so bringing NOAH wrestlers has to be expensive. ROH lost a lot of guys to TNA throughout the early part of 2007, but that allowed them to focus on other great wrestlers they have. Regardless, I'm behind ROH in whatever direction the choose as long as they can continue to put forth great wrestling.
Ring of Honor Announcement
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Ring of Honor is announcing that Gabe Sapolsky will be leaving the company effective immediately. Everybody at ROH would like to thank him for his contributions and wish him well in all future endeavors.
Going forward Ring of Honor will be focusing on the stories and the talent in the ring. The company will have no further comments on this issue or a replacement for Mr. Sapolsky. We would like to thank all of the fans and media who have supported us over the years and look forward to bringing you more great wrestling excitement in the future.
Additional information and insight from Bill Behrens:
ROH is financed by Cary Silken. Several years ago the decision was made to begin PPVs. The hope was it would grow the company, add fans, and revenue. It has not.
It has been suggested ROH needs TV. They do not unless they are paid to provide their show and at least break even. ROH had TV briefly in Philadelphia on WGTW-TV, paying for the time slot weekly, and canceled that deal after a few months. The TV was not helping them draw and was cutting nto DVD sales. They had been warned going in that they would lose money, but too many see TV as a holy grail. It usually is not. It's usually just another expense.
ROH house shows are down in attendance, and several planned shows in Florida were cancelled then rescheduled to next year.
Only NYC & Chicago have really been drawing the crowds ROH needs and expects.
After last month's Philadephia show Silkin was close to shutting down ROH altogether. Too much money was being spent, and too little was coming in.
Other ROH Management convinced Silkin to keep the company running, and to let Gabe Saposky go, and in the process make changes beyond the booking alone.
Card budgets need to be cut. Towns need to be booked to run at a profit regardless of draw even if it means reducing pay to some talent or reeducing the number of wrestlers booked p[er show, particularly fly-ins.
Whether PPV will continue is unknown. I'd recommend no. ROH needs to focus on events and DVDs, and story telling, alnost go back to the beginning in some ways. Their press release suggested that direction.
The likely current booking plan is for ROH to use a committee. Exactly who may end up on the committee has not been announced. For this group, whoever they turn out to be, to be sucessful, they first need to meet with Cary Silkin and find out exactly what he wants. It is his money after all. They also need to figure out how to make decisions so they have one direction, not several.
If they plan to repackage ROH, I'd focus on NE dates and run fewer shows, and go to the mid-west only once every two-three months. I'd cancel any new market unless indications are good for ticket sales, and regardless I'd underbook the cards. I'd try to sell ROH Shows to buildings for a guaranteed fee.
There will be no quick fix, but if the bleeding can be stopped, Cary Silkin & ROH can survive.
The ROH St. Louis show may be the only one we get. Otherwise Chicago will be a long trip. I haven't really known of any major problems ROH has had other than low PPV sales and cutting back on some wrestlers. Go Shiozaki has been the only real NOAH talent they have used this year, so bringing NOAH wrestlers has to be expensive. ROH lost a lot of guys to TNA throughout the early part of 2007, but that allowed them to focus on other great wrestlers they have. Regardless, I'm behind ROH in whatever direction the choose as long as they can continue to put forth great wrestling.